Supporting device for open topped receptacle

ABSTRACT

A device that may be assembled without the use of hand tools into a support to removably maintain an open topped receptacle in a fillable position. The receptacle is of the type that is formed from a pliable sheet material, and is supported from the device in a vertical dependent position. The receptacle due to the physical nature of the sheet material defining the same, tends to have the sidewalls bulge outwardly when filled with material such as trash, grass cuttings, laundry and the like, but due to the manner in which the receptacle is supported in the device, the bulging or expansion of the sidewalls does not prevent the receptacle from being easily separated from the device after the filling operation is completed.

Uted States Patent 1 Hembree Oct. 30, 1973 [76] Inventor: Ray Hembree,5922 Olive, Long Beach, Calif.

[22] Filed: Mar. 11, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 123,138

[52] ELS. Cl 248/97, 248/99, 248/146, 248/163 [51] Int. Cl B65b 67/12[58] Field of Search 248/97, 98, 99, 100, 248/101 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,556,395 1/1971 Herman 248/97 3,603,542 9/1971Grille 248/98 1,858,649 5/1932 Weakley 248/101 X 3,161,391 12/1964Bahnsen 248/99 3,149,809 9/1964 Levy 248/99 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 1,148,211 4/1969 Great Britain 248/98 Primary ExaminerRoyD. Frazier Assistant ExaminerRodney H. Bonck Attorney-William C. Babcock[5 7] ABSTRACT A device that may be assembled without the use of handtools into a support to removably maintain an open topped receptacle ina fillable position. The receptacle is of the type that is formed from apliable sheet material, and is supported from the device in a verticaldependent position. The receptacle due to the physical nature of thesheet material defining the same, tends to have the sidewalls bulgeoutwardly when filled with material such as trash, grass cuttings,laundry and the like, but due to the manner in which the receptacle issupported in the device, the bulging or expansion of the sidewalls doesnot prevent the receptacle from being easily separated from the deviceafter the filling operation is completed.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures Patented Get. 30, 1973 IN VENTOR. RAYlie/145x255 Army/vs) SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR OPEN TOPPED RECEPTACLEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A supportingdevice for open topped receptacles.

2. Description of the Prior Art During the past several years, a numberof companies have devised and marketed folded receptacles formed of apliable sheet plastic material, which receptacles are open at the top,and the receptacles when expanded allowing material to be depositedtherein. Such receptacles are inexpensive and have been recommended bythe manufacturers thereof as being particularly adapted for use asholders for trash, grass clippings and the like.

Although such receptacles are highly usable for this purpose, as well asnumerous other purposes, they have the operational disadvantage thatthey are difficult to hold in an expanded depending position with theupper ends thereof open to the extent that material may be depositedtherein.

Devices have been proposed for holding the receptacles in dependingmaterial receiving positions, but such devices have been found to havethe operational disadvantage that as the receptacles are filled, thesides thereof bulge outwardly and it is extremely difficult to separatea filled receptacle from the holder thereof.

The primary purpose in devising the present invention is to supply areceptacle holding device that may be marketed in a dismantled compactconfiguration and the device capable of being easily assembled into areceptacle holding position without the use of hand tools.

Another object of the invention is to supply a receptacle holding devicein which a receptacle having bulging sidewalls is easily separatedtherefrom, after the filling of the receptacle is completed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The receptacle holding device includes a pairof elongate base members together with first and second pairs of rigiduprights, and a generally rectangular rigid frame. The device includesfirst fastening means to secure the first pair of uprights in upwardlyextending positions relative to the base members and second fasteningmeans that permit the second upright to be supported in upwardlyextending positions relative to the first pair of uprights and coaxiallyaligned therewith.

Third fastening means are provided that permit the frame to be removablysecured to the upper ends of the second pair of uprights, with the framewhen so secured being substantially horizontal. The frame is of suchdimensions as to be removably engaged when portions of the receptacleare folded downwardly thereover, with the folded receptacle portionsserving to support the receptacle in a depending position with theframe.

The frame not only serves as a support for the receptacle, but alsoprovides the additional function of maintaining the pairs of basemembers and pairs of first and second uprights in laterally spacedrelationship. The frame also serves a third purpose, that of removablysupporting a cover that extends over the open end of the receptacle whenthe receptacle is supported in the device, and the cover minimizingflies and other insects being drawn to the contents of the supportedreceptacle. The frame is so supported from the second pair of uprights,that even if the receptacle has the sidewalls thereof bulging outwardlywhen the receptacle is filled with material, the receptacle may beeasily disengaged from the supported position in the device andseparated therefrom.

A major object of the present invention is to supply a dismantledsupporting device for open topped receptacles that are formed from apliable sheet material, such as plastic or the like, and the devicebeing assembled into a receptacle holding configuration by a purchaserwithout the use of hand tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a receptacle supportingdevice that can be fabricated from standard commercially availablematerials, is inexpensive to produce, is simple and easy to use, and onethat will encourage the widespread use of containers formed from pliablesheet material for such purposes as trash collecting, storage for soiledgarments prior to the laundering thereof, as well as other purposes inwhich it is desired to place material in a confined space prior to thematerial being used or transported to another location.

A still further object of the invention is to supply a receptacleholding device which in a first form rests on the ground surface and ina second form is supported from a vertically extending surface, such asa wall, side of a house, or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firstform of the receptacle holder, prior to the receptacle being removablysupported therein;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinally extending cross sectional view of a portionof the device taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first form of the device with areceptacle removably mounted in a depending position thereon, and afirst form of a cover disposed above the device that will normally coverthe open end of the receptacle;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the cover shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a portion of the cover,frame and fastening means associated with a second pair of the uprights;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second form of the receptacle holdingdevice, which second form may be mounted on a vertical wall surface; and

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross sectional view of a second form of coverthat may be used with either the first or second forms of the device toextend over the upper open end of the receptacle and frame supportingthe latter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The first form A of the devicethat is used in removably supporting an open topped receptacle B that isformed from a pliable sheet material such as plastic or the like, isshown in FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive. The receptacle B is normally retailedin a foldable condition, and when expanded to the position illustratedin FIG. 3 has a generally rectangular transverse cross section.

The first form of the device A includes a pair of base members C thatare removably engaged by a first pair of uprights D. The second pair ofuprights D are removably engaged by a second pair of uprights E that arecoaxially aligned therewith. A rectangular frame F is removablysupported in a substantially horizontal position from the upper end ofthe second pair of uprights E shown in FIG. 1. When the device isdesired to be used to support a receptacle B the upper open end portionof the receptacle is disposed within the confines of the frame 10, andthis portion then folded downwardly over the frame to define acontinuous band that contacts the exterior surface 12 of the frame asshown in FIG. 3. The frame F and the receptacle B must be so relateddimension wise, that the upper portion of the receptacle adjacent theopen end 14 thereof may be folded into an inverted U-shaped transversecross section that engages the frame with the outer portion of theinverted U being the band 10.

Each of the base members C is preferably of substantially the samelength as the cover G shown in FIG. 3, to permit the device to beretailed in a compact package prior to the components of the devicebeing assembled into the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The frame F anduprights D and E are also preferably of the same length as the cover G.Each of the base members C may be a piece of angle iron that has ahorizontal flange 16 that rests on the ground surface (not shown), and asecond flange it! that extends upwardly from the first flange.

The second pair of uprights D are preferably lengths of rigid tubing ofsquare transverse cross section that have first ends 20 and second ends22 as shown in MG. 1. The first ends 20 slidably engage first pins 24 ofsquare transverse cross section as shown in FIG. 2, which pins extendupwardly and rearwardly at a slight angle relative to the base membersC. The first pins 24 are preferably secured to the base members C bywelding beads 26 or the like. The first pair of uprights D have secondpins 24 of square transverse cross section partially inserted within theinterior of the second ends thereof, and the pins preferably secured tothe first pair of uprights D by tack welding 28. The upper portions ofthe second pins 24 as may best be seen in FIG. 2 slidably engage theinterior of first ends 30 of the second pair of uprights E. The secondpair of uprights E like the first pair D are preferably formed fromrigid tubing of square transverse cross section.

Although the first and second pairs D and E of the uprights areillustrated as being of square transverse cross section, they may be ofcross sections other than square, but preferably not circular, for ifthe uprights D and E are of circular transverse cross section, the basemembers C would be free to pivot relative to the frame F, and topositions where the first form A of the device would not be stable andcapable of supporting a receptacle B.

The frame F as may best be seen in FIG. l. is formed from a rigid stripmaterial of rectangular transverse cross section, and includes twolaterally spaced end pieces 32 that are connected by side pieces 34. Theend pieces 32 adjacent one of the side pieces 34 have two third pins 36secured thereto, which pins preferably extend above and below the frameF. The pins 36 extend downwardly and forwardly at substantially the sameangle as the pins 24 extend upwardly and rearwardly, to permit the frameF to be held in a horizontal position when the third pins are inslidable engagement with the interior of the second pair of uprights Eas shown in FIG. ll. When the receptacle B is supported in the firstform of the device A as shown in FIG. 3, the folded over portion of thereceptacle extends around the portion 36a of the pins 36 that arelocated above the end pieces 32 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The first form of cover G is formed from a rigid sheet material and isof larger transverse area than that of the frame F. When the receptacleB is supported in the first form of the device, the cover G may beremovably positioned thereon, to rest on the receptacle portions 38 asillustrated in FIG. 5. The ends 44) of the cover G have a pair ofnotches 42 which engage the upwardly projecting portions 36a of thethird pins 36, when the cover G rests on the upper surface of the frame.The cover G is preferably provided with an upwardly extending handle 44as shown in FIG. 3. Due to the upwardly and rearwardly angling of theuprights D and E relative to the base members C, the receptacle B whensupported from the device has the major portion thereof positionedforwardly of the uprights. Thus, even if the sides of the receptaclesbulge outwardly, the receptacle B may be easily separated from thedevice A.

A second form H of the receptacle supporting device is shown in FIGS. 6and 7 and includes two L-shaped brackets 46 that are secured to a wall48 by screws or other suitable fastening means 50. Each of the bracketsincludes an outwardly projecting leg 52 that is substantiallyhorizontal. Each of the legs 52 on its outer end support an upwardlyextending socket defining member 54 that preferably extends rearwardlyand upwardly at the same angle as the pins 36 extend downwardly andforwardly.

The socket defining members 54 have interior transverse cross sectionssuch as to snuggly and slidably engage the pins 36. When the pins 36 arein engagement with the socket defining member, the frame F can supportthe receptacle B as shown in FIG. 1. The brackets 44 are preferablypositioned on the wall 48 at such elevation that the receptacle B whensupported from the frame F is just in contact with the ground surface(not shown).

A second form of cover G is shown in FIG. 6 that includes a flat sheet56 that has a continuous flange 58 extending downwardly therefrom, andthe flange being of sufficient depth as to extend downwardly over theframe F as shown in FIG. 7.

The second form of the device is used and operated in the same manner asthe first form. Both the second and first forms of the device havepreviously been described in detail as well as the use and operationthereof, and this information need not be repeated.

1 claim:

1. In combination with an open topped receptacle of generallyrectangular transverse cross section formed from a pliable sheetmaterial, a device that may be assembled without hand tools to removablysupport said receptacle in a substantially vertical depending positionto permit said receptacle to be filled with material through said opentop thereof, said device comprising:

a. a pair of base members;

b. first and second pairs of rigid uprights that each have first andsecond ends;

c. a pair of first pins that extend upwardly from said base members toslidably engage first ends of said first pair of uprights;

d. a pair of second pins that project from second ends of said firstpair of uprights and slidably engage first ends of said second pair ofuprights;

g. a cover of greater transverse area than that of said frame thatremovably rests on the latter, said cover having a pair of oppositelydisposed notches therein that removably engage said upwardly extendingportions of said third pins to prevent said cover being inadvertentlydisplaced from said frame.

1. In combination with an open topped receptacle of generallyrectangular transverse cross section formed from a pliable sheetmaterial, a device that may be assembled without hand tools to removablysupport said receptacle in a substantially vertical depending positionto permit said receptacle to be filled with material through said opentop thereof, said device comprising: a. a pair of base members; b. firstand second pairs of rigid uprights that each have first and second ends;c. a pair of first pins that extend upwardly from said base members toslidably engage first ends of said first pair of uprights; d. a pair ofsecond pins that project from second ends of said first pair of uprightsand slidably engage first ends of said second pair of uprights; e. agenerally rectangular rigid frame of such dimensions as to removablysupport said receptacle when portions of said receptacle adjacent saidopen top are formed into an inverted U-shaped configuration to engagesaid frame; f. a pair of third pins that are secured to opposite ends ofsaid frame and slidably engage second ends of said second pair ofuprights, with portions of said third pins projecting upwardly from saidframe; and g. a cover of greater transverse area than that of said framethat removably rests on the latter, said cover having a pair ofoppositely disposed notches therein that removably engage said upwardlyextending portions of said third pins to prevent said cover beinginadvertently displaced from said frame.